I have now joined (and been accepted by) SVR and, assuming I have done what is required to properly change my profile, will in the future be appearing here under the name Marcus Tullius Ioannes, the name by which I have registered with SVR.

Nevertheless, as I suppose can be inferred from my new name (if I did that correctly), ciceronianus sum.

For all his many faults, he was a remarkable man, and managed to combine an active and significant role in practical life with thoughtful study and commentary on the great philosophical questions, and I admire him for it. He was also, for good or ill, very much a lawyer, and so am I. I know lawyers are not the most popular professionals, due I think to the conduct of certain persons who are not worthy of the title, but there you have it (I have even heard that people make jokes about lawyers).

I look forward to contributing as best I can to the Forum and the Societas.

Welcome to the Societas. I've only read one book by Cicero, and that was On the Nature of the Gods. I enjoyed that book and it's expositions of the views of Stoics and Epicureans.

As to lawyers...well, where I work we sometimes have some of the more arrogant ones who, when they can't get something they want, say "I'm a lawyer, and I want you to show me where the law says...". I have developed an answer to that. I tell them I will look it up for them if they pay me a hundred bucks, as I do not do legal research for free, and I suspect his firm does not do it for free either. Well, at least that horrible Roy Pearson is no longer a judge...

To Marcus Lupinius Paulus: I am familiar enough with the kind of lawyer you refer to. You are right not to be intimidated. A certain amount of self-confidence is required in a lawyer, particularly a litigator, but arrogance is unseemly.

To Valerius Claudius Iohanes, with whom I share a cognomen (sort of, anyhow):

I have indeed been reading the trial of Cicero, and enjoying it. I wish I had been around to participate--as defense counsel, of course. It is difficult to accept the execution of any Roman without trial. But Cicero, no fool he, was clever enough to obtain the consent of the Senate, if I recall, and that makes his condemnation problematic, in my view.

I have seen Ioannes, Iohanes and Iohannes, and have no idea if there is any difference among them. I suspect the difference may be regional or historical, but that covers a lot of ground. If you happen to know, please let me know.